Detector Dog Training protecting threatened species

Some of the Enviro-Dynamics team joined our partners recently to head to Perth, Western Australia, and learn how to work with detection dogs, trained to sniff out the Phytophthora cinnamomi (PC) pathogen. The project is part of the Australian Government Saving Native Species Program, with the Western Australian Government leading the activity and trainers, Tate Animals in charge of dog training and mentoring.

Sue Jennings (Quarry Clean), Morgan McPherson and Todd Holliday (Enviro-dynamics) with dieback detection dogs Alice and Echo at Kings Park in Perth, WA.

Detector dogs can be trained to detect almost any scents, examples being truffles, electronics, cash, and termites. Dieback detector dogs are trained to sniff out Phytophthora cinnamomi (Pc), with two dogs already trained in New South Wales to detect this microscopic pathogen in controlled settings.

Tate Animals has been developing these dogs for over a year as part of their proof-of-concept project. The WA Government has been dealing with Dieback, caused by the pathogen, for 40 years and has developed a range of skills and testing methods to detect its presence.

By combining this knowledge of Pc in field situation with the detection dogs, testing can be done faster and more reliably.

The team has picked up a critical skills and knowledge from Tate Animals, the WA Government team and Dieback detection contractors. The pathogen itself is impossible to spot with the human eye and can only be detected by observing disease symptoms in susceptible plants or soil testing, thus dog handlers have to learn to trust the dogs and recognize different body language cues.

During the trip, the dogs were tested in both ‘clean’ areas and within the grounds of Kings Park near Perth. The training was paired with standard Phytophthora cinnamomi testing and sampling to make sure blind testing could be done.

The next steps are for the Enviro-Dynamics and Quarry Clean dog training teams to be mentored by Tate Animals over the next 12 months as they train their two dogs for Phytophthora cinnamomi detection in Tasmania.

This training, and the Tasmanian case studies undertaken by the dogs once they are trained, will play a big role in shaping a Draft national approach to Pc Detection Dogs.

It is important to tackle these challenges on a national level since the issue isn’t confined to just one state or territory. The best way to stop Phytophthora cinnamomi from spreading is to have an accurate idea of where it occurs and be able to detect it on vehicles, equipment and materials used in land management such as roading gravel and native plant stock used for revegetation.

This project is supported with funding from the Australian Government’s Saving Native Species game changer grants and contributions from WA, NSW, and Tasmanian project partners.